The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation
The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation is a private foundation based in Westwood, Massachusetts. It supports charitable organizations through grants; its 2024 filing lists 27 grants totaling $54,277.
The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation at a glance
In short: The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation gave $54K across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), mostly in Massachusetts. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $54,277
- -38.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- -35.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,010
- -5.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $412,961
- -21.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (3 of 27, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (76% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 265 Far Reach Road, Westwood, MA 02090
Phone: (617) 556-1518
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Circle of Hope ($23K). Together the top 10 received $42K.
Grant Size Distribution
177 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 177 grants of 177 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Massachusetts. In 2024, Massachusetts organizations received 76% of grant dollars; recipients in Georgia received 6%, New Jersey 5%, Indiana 4%, and Washington, DC 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 27 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $833; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 37% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 215% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $54K (2024) to $89K (2023). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $54K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Circle of Hope Needham, MA | Unrestricted | $23,121 |
| Jeff's Place Framingham, MA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Focus on Tanzanian Communities Watertown, MA | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| St Benedict's Prep Neward, NJ | Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Cape Cod Housing Assistance Corporation Hyannis, MA | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Guide Dogs of America Sylmar, GA | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Falmouth Service Center Falmouth, MA | Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| American Legion Indanapolis, IN | Unrestricted | $1,200 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| St Judes Research Hospital Memphis, TN | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $412,961 | $46,700 | $62,716 | $54,277 | 27 | $54,277 | $38,261 | $25,258 |
| 2023 | $524,557 | $-3,729 | $97,082 | $88,900 | 42 | $88,900 | $3,356 | $34,326 |
| 2022 | $462,286 | $14,469 | $91,351 | $83,450 | 40 | $83,450 | $11,981 | $27,011 |
| 2021 | $539,168 | $82,216 | $96,680 | $85,700 | 41 | $85,700 | $71,236 | $35,753 |
| 2020 | $553,632 | $43,907 | $91,468 | $81,450 | 27 | — | $34,787 | $35,374 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own stated mission is not available. Its 2024 grants went to organizations working in areas that include housing insecurity, community support, education, health care, and conservation. For example, Circle of Hope says its mission is to provide clothing and hygiene essentials to people and families experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Focus on Tanzanian Communities describes its work as supporting education, health care, women’s empowerment, and sustainable community development in Tanzania. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $54,277. Grants ranged from $500 to $23,121, with a median of $1,000. The largest grants included $23,121 to Circle of Hope in Needham, Massachusetts; $5,000 to Jeff’s Place in Framingham, Massachusetts; and $3,000 to Focus on Tanzanian Communities in Watertown, Massachusetts. Other grants included $2,500 to St Benedict’s Prep and $2,000 each to Cape Cod Housing Assistance Corporation and Guide Dogs of America. The 2024 filing lists the grants as unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Peter Donovan and Louise Donovan as trustees.
The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Louise Donovan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Peter Donovan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation
How much does The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation give each year?
The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation gave $54K across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $89K across 42 grants.
What is The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's typical grant size?
The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,010, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation that year got $833 on average.
Where does The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation give grants?
The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Georgia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Needham, MA (2 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's largest grantees?
The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Circle of Hope ($23,121), Jeff's Place ($5,000) and Focus on Tanzanian Communities ($3,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation?
The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation reported $413K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $54K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $25K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own stated mission is not available. Its 2024 grants went to organizations working in areas that include housing insecurity, community support, education, health care, and conservation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's EIN?
The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-6393550. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation funds
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Browse active grant opportunities in The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-and-gertrude-donovan-foundation-morg_9bcf2a5cdf7146668822704ff68ab1a8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_206393550_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-and-gertrude-donovan-foundation-morg_9bcf2a5cdf7146668822704ff68ab1a8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The John and Gertrude Donovan Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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